Screening Gotham: Mourning Sharon Waxman Edition

Some of today's movie news of note from around New York:

--Thanks to The Reeler's resident genius Michelle Orange for filling in here for a bit; I was briefly institutionalized over the week's second most devastating Hollywood exit after Bob Barker. Of course, I'm alluding to Sharon Waxman, The New York Times' trenchant industry reporter who confessed recently to Nikki Finke that her film days are over and her antiquities-book-fucking-up days are just beginning. It was only last week we were celebrating her spirit and drive, and her imagination has long been an influence for hacks everywhere -- including us, particularly when we're inaccurate. For a more stirring, semi-revisionist obit ("Far better for Waxman to have burned bridges, or even sources, than to have sunk into the murk"), visit Gawker.

--On the occasion of Scott Rudin and Sony snatching the remake rights to Dan Klores' documentary Crazy Love, Vulture snatches comment from the director himself: " 'It sort of irks me actually, and it happens mostly in New York, when they call me publicist turned filmmaker,' says the publicist turned filmmaker. 'How many films do I have to make to get rid of that label?' " If ever a question answered itself...

--Another oversight from my time in solitary was House Next Door contributor Odienator's lovely "5 For the Day" celebrating New York cinema. The occasion is the cross-promotion of James Sanders' Celluloid Skyline installation at Grand Central and TCM's film series of the same name, but the discussion that follows supersedes facile marketing. How Sweet Smell of Success -- my own favorite NYC film and pretty easily the best such flick of the 1950s -- only got one vote from anyone else is beyond me, but ours is not to question why, etc. etc. etc.

Posted at June 6, 2007 9:58 AM